Simple answers to the question: what is asparagus

The Greek name and Russian-European origin, exotic appearance, but at the same time the severity of simplicity. All this is about a mysterious delicacy - asparagus. But what is asparagus, where does it grow and what is its value?

Just about the little-known

Strangely enough, but the answer to the question about what asparagus is, it can be a statement that this is a simple perennial plant, the main flowering of which falls on the middle of spring. It has long been growing on well-moistened soil, and in the wild, places of its "habitat" are considered to be the banks of water bodies and rivers.

Talking about what can be eaten from the composition of this plant, then the unmistakable claim is that all parts of asparagus are perfect for culinary experiments. All of them plants have a wide range of useful microelements, the list of which includes B vitamins, but at the same time necessary for the body proteins, amino acids and carbohydrates.

But in addition to nutritional value, asparagus is also actively used in phytotherapy. So, it is indicated for diseases of the liver and kidneys, diseases of the heart and joints, as well as obesity. But the use of asparagus during pregnancy is strongly contraindicated, if it is complicated by urolithiasis.

Varieties of asparagus exists a lot. But the most popular are the Snow Head, Argentinian, the Glory of Braunschweig and, of course, the Dutch Green Asparagus. All of them differ in the color of stems and in the ratio of nutrients. So, green asparagus will be useful to those who need to raise the level of immunity. To do this, choose greenish-violet grades.

How to grow asparagus?

When preparing for asparagus cultivation, it is necessary to find a place that meets the following conditions. First, the site should be removed for a long period from the crop rotation. This is explained by the fact that within fifteen years it will be possible to harvest. The second condition is the quality of the soil. It must be enriched with compost or peat bogs. The third condition is the climate - the place should be protected from gusts of wind.

So, a suitable site is found, and therefore, it should be prepared. To do this, it is enriched with fertilizers containing superphosphate and peat compost in the autumn and charcoal immediately after the thawing period in early spring. In this case, Ph soils are kept in the range above 6.5.

An ideal way to plant asparagus is considered to be a planting. To do this, in water at a temperature of twenty to twenty-eight degrees, soak seeds for a week. After that, the germinated seeds are planted in containers with compost-enriched soil at a level of one and a half centimeters and await the formation of a stable root system. Once it is formed, it is necessary to transplant the seedlings to a permanent place.

For the final planting of asparagus on the site, furrows are formed up to a meter deep, where the seedlings are transferred. The distance between the furrows can not be less than sixty centimeters. Otherwise, the root system of neighboring bushes will be closely interlaced, which is not recommended. For planting is best to choose the middle - end of August.

During the entire cultivation period, two indispensable conditions must be observed. First - every year the soil of the asparagus should be fertilized in spring. Secondly, do not dehydrate the soil. Otherwise, the minimum harm will be that the shoots will lose their edible properties due to bitterness.

There are different conditions for obtaining white and green asparagus. What is the asparagus should be transferred in order to acquire a whitish shade? The answer is simple: a permanent "wrapping" of the earth so that shoots can not get into the light green.

Answering the question about what asparagus is and how it is grown, it should be remembered that this truly valuable plant in exchange for the invested labor is able to enrich the body with a whole range of useful trace elements, but only if it is properly planted and nurtured.